A Wake Up Call

Below is an email I sent out to my church family at Living Bridge on Saturday, September 25th.

Friends,

The Lord put it on my heart to share something with you this morning.  If there is one email I am asking you to read this morning it is this one.

As you know, 2 Sunday’s ago we began a new series titled “2 Weeks to Live”.  A series built around the following made up scenario, or so I thought…

Suppose the people you are closest to, the people who you call family or friends had only 2 weeks to live? What if you knew of their unfortunate fate but they didn’t, and they probably wouldn’t believe you even if you tried to tell them? Now, if you know that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior I am sure it would grant you considerable peace.  However, what if you weren’t sure if they had accepted Christ as their Savior? What if you are pretty confident they don’t know Christ and the clock is ticking?  How different would you live life with only 2 weeks to help them see their need for the only thing that can save them from eternal separation from God?

Well, yesterday around 11:00 I received a knock at my door.  It was someone from our church who wanted me to know that their uncle who lived on the street behind me had committed suicide and asked me to pray for the family.  As I began to try and figure out who this neighbor was, my guest and I walked into my back yard to see if we could possibly see his house.  As we got about mid-way into my back yard the tears began to flow from my guest as they realized that this person was my neighbor who lived directly behind me.

I had known this person as a casual acquaintance over the 5 and a half years I have lived here.  A friendly, older gentlemen who kept to himself most of the time.  From time to time I would see other family members around and what I assumed were grandchildren.  We never had a crossed word and waved to each other whenever we saw each other outside.  Little did I know how much this man was hurting…

On Tuesday evening I was outside and heard a very loud bang that sounded like a gun blast.  Now, because there is a farm beside me and my other neighbor often tries out his muzzleloader before hunting season I thought nothing of it therefore I went back to my business.  Little did I know that the gunshot I had just heard was from my neighbor who at 88 years of age had just shot himself because he could no longer bear the pain he was in. 

You, see he had diabetes and was in terrible pain all the time.  However, I had no idea.  I never took the time to ask my neighbor how he was doing.  I never took the time to see if there was anything he needed,  I never took the time to care enough to find out if he knew Jesus Christ as his Savior.  And now… now, it is simply too late.

Possibly the saddest part of it all is that his wife many years before killed herself with the same gun, in the same house.  The pain he must have been in simply over that.  Again, I had no idea, but I should have…

Folks, it is not too late.  It is not too late to walk over to that neighbor today and invite them to church.  It is not too late to call up that friend that you have been putting off because you are afraid of what they might think.  It is not too late to make a difference, take a stand, care for someone in need.  It is not too late to simply ask your neighbor, “How are you?  Is there anything I can do for you?  Would you like to come to church with me tomorrow?”

Tomorrow is a big day for our church and I believe our new series has the potential to impact many people that are searching for significance when it comes to life.  My prayer is that you will not let another day pass you by without inviting someone, bringing someone, with you to church tomorrow.  My neighbor didn’t even have two weeks, and I will have to live with that fact.  Folks, the time is now, don’t assume anything.  People need Hope.  People need answers.  People need Jesus. 

You have what they need; will you go?

Luke 10:1-4

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where He was about to go. ² He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field. ³ Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. ⁴ Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

Some thoughts on Philippians 3...

Like children we constantly need to be reminded of who we are to be in Christ.  Since the majority of Christian live in a word where 363 (there is 365 hours in a week, I'll give us 2 for being in church) hours of their week are spent around things that are contrary to the very nature and purposes of Christ, we need to be reminded constantly of who we are supposed to be in Him. This is why we see Paul reminding us of many of the same things over and over again.  Although we are in Christ our natural nature is still that of sin.

I believe that one of the primary goals of trusting in Christ should be to know Him. That is, to know Christ in a personal relationship, and also to know the power of His resurrection— the power Christ exerts even now from the right hand of God.

This power is made known as we share in the same kind of sufferings that Jesus faced—the kind of suffering that comes when we share the good news of Jesus Christ to a fallen world. A world that continues to reject Him, mock Him, deny Him.

A world where for many Christian’s being accepted by someone is often more important than sharing Jesus with them because we are afraid of rejection or what they might think of us… But let me just say this…

Who cares what people think! We need to be more concerned with what our Heavenly Father thinks!

I mean, when you really think about it, if were really going to be honest, not telling someone about Jesus because were afraid they might not like us or reject us, is kinda like watching someone with a potentially curable disease slowly die while you hold the potential antidote that if they chose to take it would cure them. It’s ok though cause they’ll never know you have it right?

If we truly want to know Christ, to be His disciples, to follow Him, then we must be willing to share in the fellowship of His sufferings.  Sound tough?  Sound harsh?  It is.

I am convinced that one of the biggest misconception fed to the church is that coming to Christ makes "everything better" right here, right now.... Not necessarily true!  Oh, there is a hope, there will come a day where there will be no more sorrow, no more pain... a day where our bodies will be transformed to become like Christ glorious body, and I long for that day....

However, for now I am called to rejoice in my sufferings for His sake.  To keep my eyes on the goal, the prize that is more about the kingdom than it is about me.

If we want to change our communities, our cities, our world... It's time for Christian's to suffer.  And yet somehow as we suffer we will rejoice!  And so will many others whose lives will be changed as they too become sufferers for Christ because we were willing to identify with Him!